The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-12-27

4
| sume when called upon, claiming that they
are not Knights. 1t is believed that thu
miners will strike if called upon. although
number are not in sympathy with the move
ment. The Union Coal company, the Lenez
| les will be the only mines in operation In the
region should the Reading miners go cut
| The strike is generally condemned in busines:
| circles.
WILIIAMsPoRT, Pa, Dec. 26.-Three
| freight trains were moved east on the Read
| ing road today. The regular crews were on
| on account of the Christmas holiday. lt Il
| understood the men will go to work tomor
| row.
READING, Pa, Dec. 26.-The Reading en-
ployes in this city have decided not to join
| the strike and sent committee to Philadel
phia this evening to endeayor to have the
employees there return to duty in the morn
ing. Reading officials here think the action
of the employees virtually kills the knights
of Labor as an organization and say they
will never recognize them again. The en-
ployes along the main line, outside of the
city, left their posts this morning Matters
are rather complicated tonight 1t is claimed
that an an ample force has been secured to
man all the trains likely to be run out in the
next few days. Few desertions OF trains by
the hands are reported north of Reading to-
day, and in all cases theirIplaces were prompt
ly filed by non-union men. Several tele-
graph operators quit work at Palalto last
night. Other men were promptly sent there
and took charge of the office. Very little
was doing To-Day, and it will be several days
- .fou. tfOta nj
The fact that the Reading employees refused
to strike does not affect the main llne en-
ployes as they are mostly employed In shops
and ON cross lines, which run out OF the city,
Many pr eminent Knights regret the stand
taken by the men today. They say It virtu,
ally destroyed the organization and II VIII
beimpossible for it to recover from the Ell
fects of today's deliberations. Others seem
to think it will strengthen it. The say the
strike at Port Richmond was premature, and
any persons who possess spark OF lnteili-
gence cannot help but see it, The local diff
fculty of an entire district should not have
been dragged into it. Level headed men are
of the opining that the trouble will be set
tied in few days.
The Officials Eiated.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 26.-The Reading
officials are much elated tonight over the
stand taken by Reading employees, and seem
to think it will have wholesome effect on
those employed everywhere
The executive board of the employees con-
vention received reports today from Shama-
kin, POttsvile, Mahoney City, Wtlliams-
port, Tamaqua and other places, showing
that the strikers are determined to hold out.
They professed to consider the action OF the
shop employees at Reading as of little ac-
count. 1t is said that general order for the
men to stop work will doubtless be issued
int ho
have signified their willingness to quit work.
The strikers at PortRichlnond are steadfast
Local assembly No. 1907 held big meeting
this afternoon and endorsed the action OF
the employees convention IN ordering the
strike. A prominent official of the Reading
said today: Tomorrow morning every
train scheduled will be moved. 1t is not
expected that the services of nOn-unlon men
will be required. Indications are that there
will be a liberal response from the employees
of the company for work. The company
Sire work Win bo accosn nnio,fated and given
protection. The company has IN transit
about 26O0 tons. This will be moved tomor-
row. Freight trains moved on the main line
this morning all manned by Knights. Two
were specials and two regulars. In the al
ternoon another train was sent out at Broad
and Callow Hill streets WHICH pretty well
cleaned up everything in the way of freight
at that point. l am just informed that
shifter has gone to Mellow street to make up
a train and clean up all the freight at that
point. On the Bethlehem division, three
freights were handled each way this morning
All were manned by, knights. Freight
night freights between Park and Wayne
functions were handled as usual. We do not
believe the disaffectlon is considerable or
will extend beyound the five crews which we
discharged for disobedience to orders. For
ty-fiye thousand persons are employed by
the.company, ,twenty-sev of whom
are in the railroad service and the remainder
with the coal and iron company. No notice
has been given that there is any dis
affection with those in the EN-
ploy of the coal and iron company.
We do not contemplate any and certainly
expect them to live up to the agreement and
resume work next year at the scale of wages
VIXEN we granted the advance in September.
They will certainly be given the benefit that
any advance in the prices OF coal might war
rant. Tomorrow morning If the collieries
do not resume work we shall certainly be
very much surprised. Among railroad en-
ployes we do not believe there is dissatisfac-
ton amounting to two per cent. of the whole
number, as far as our information goes"
Late lndicatIons-War to the End.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 26.-The latest de-
velopments indicate that the strike will be
long and bitter The cricis will he reached
tOmOrroW Wnon tne oIuei VI dehOiai mahaSOi
Mcleod goes into effect. This directs all
employees To return to work. Those who do
not will be dismissed A committee from
assembly 1893 of Reading composed of ma
chinists and carbuilders held long confer
ence with the executive committee of the
employees convention, who met in Port Rich
mond this evening. The Reading men ex-
pressed themselves as entirely satisfied with
the justice of the cause of the strikers
and promised to support them financially and
otherwise to the full extent of their
means They will go out tomorrow.
Besides the Reading men, there were repre-
sented large number of local assemblies in
this city and other places on the Reading
line. Resolutions were adopted, refusing to
resume work until the men at Elizabethport,
Richmond and other places be reinstated
and every ''scab" who filled vacancy dis
charged.